Hong Kong’s deficit: analysts offer fixes for city’s snowballing debt
By Cannix YauOscar Liu
Hong Kong can address its multibillion-dollar deficit by issuing bonds, taxing non-locals on digital activities, casting a wider tax net and breaking down land parcel sales into smaller pieces to attract investors, analysts have said.
With Hong Kong’s deficit snowballing to about HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion) in the 2024-25 financial year, industry leaders have been racing to offer solutions to help the government boost income and rein in expenses.
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, the city’s largest business chamber, urged the government to explore new revenue streams to achieve a fiscal balance and fund important infrastructure projects that would bring long-term benefits.
“We hope the economy will pick up with the Hong Kong government and mainland’s efforts to stimulate growth, but this will take time. The government can try to tighten its belt, but we are in favour of investing for our future,” CEO Patrick Yeung Wai-tim said.
The chamber advised authorities to raise revenue by issuing bonds to finance long-term investments and taxing non-local digital service suppliers.
“We would recommend that the government use bond issuance to fund long-term investments rather than recurrent expenditure,” it said.
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By Cannix YauOscar Liu
Hong Kong can address its multibillion-dollar deficit by issuing bonds, taxing non-locals on digital activities, casting a wider tax net and breaking down land parcel sales into smaller pieces to attract investors, analysts have said.
With Hong Kong’s deficit snowballing to about HK$100 billion (US$12.8 billion) in the 2024-25 financial year, industry leaders have been racing to offer solutions to help the government boost income and rein in expenses.
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, the city’s largest business chamber, urged the government to explore new revenue streams to achieve a fiscal balance and fund important infrastructure projects that would bring long-term benefits.
“We hope the economy will pick up with the Hong Kong government and mainland’s efforts to stimulate growth, but this will take time. The government can try to tighten its belt, but we are in favour of investing for our future,” CEO Patrick Yeung Wai-tim said.
The chamber advised authorities to raise revenue by issuing bonds to finance long-term investments and taxing non-local digital service suppliers.
“We would recommend that the government use bond issuance to fund long-term investments rather than recurrent expenditure,” it said.
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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is back on Instagram with moody video post
By Associated Press
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, started the new year with her first Instagram account since 2020.
Her first post is a black and white video of herself at the beach, wearing white and drawing 2025 in the sand on an overcast day. The @meghan account already has nearly 500,000 followers.
Meghan and Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, were married in 2018, and were initially part of @KensingtonRoyal, which also included Harry’s brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate, the Princess of Wales.
But a year later, Meghan and Harry launched their own account, @SussexRoyal, a sign of their growing distance from the royal family. @SussexRoyal was discontinued in 2020, around the time that Meghan and Harry announced they were stepping back from their official roles.
Meghan, who had a popular Instagram account when she was best known for her role in TV drama Suits, had indicated she would return. In a 2022 interview with New York Magazine’s The Cut, she confided: “Do you want to know a secret? I’m getting back … on Instagram.”
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By Associated Press
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, started the new year with her first Instagram account since 2020.
Her first post is a black and white video of herself at the beach, wearing white and drawing 2025 in the sand on an overcast day. The @meghan account already has nearly 500,000 followers.
Meghan and Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, were married in 2018, and were initially part of @KensingtonRoyal, which also included Harry’s brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate, the Princess of Wales.
But a year later, Meghan and Harry launched their own account, @SussexRoyal, a sign of their growing distance from the royal family. @SussexRoyal was discontinued in 2020, around the time that Meghan and Harry announced they were stepping back from their official roles.
Meghan, who had a popular Instagram account when she was best known for her role in TV drama Suits, had indicated she would return. In a 2022 interview with New York Magazine’s The Cut, she confided: “Do you want to know a secret? I’m getting back … on Instagram.”
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Why would China want a blockade on Japanese islands? Recent drill raises Taiwan spectre
By Julian Ryall
A fleet of Chinese navy vessels has conducted what Japanese military analysts believe was an exercise to impose a naval blockade between the main island of Okinawa and the most westerly islands of the prefecture, isolating them as part of Beijing’s plans to take control of Taiwan.
Quoting multiple Japanese government sources, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Wednesday that six Chinese ships – including a Jiangkai Class 1 frigate and three coastguard vessels – sailed around the southern tip of Taiwan before passing from the Pacific through the Miyako Strait and into the East China Sea on December 22.
The joint operation between the navy and armed coastguard vessels was the first in the 250km strait that separates Okinawa island and Miyako and an archipelago of smaller islands that ends with Yonaguni, a little over 100km to the east of Taiwan.
A Japanese government analyst said the ships’ movements were “an unusual move that suggests a maritime blockade”.
The exercises also coincided with the continued presence of Chinese coastguard ships in waters surrounding islands in the East China Sea that Beijing claims and refers to as the Diaoyu archipelago. The uninhabited territories are part of Okinawa prefecture and are administered by Japan, which knows them as the Senkakus.
Stephen Nagy, a professor of politics and international relations at Tokyo’s International Christian University, suggested the move could be “part of China’s broader strategy to take Taiwan without a fight”.
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By Julian Ryall
A fleet of Chinese navy vessels has conducted what Japanese military analysts believe was an exercise to impose a naval blockade between the main island of Okinawa and the most westerly islands of the prefecture, isolating them as part of Beijing’s plans to take control of Taiwan.
Quoting multiple Japanese government sources, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Wednesday that six Chinese ships – including a Jiangkai Class 1 frigate and three coastguard vessels – sailed around the southern tip of Taiwan before passing from the Pacific through the Miyako Strait and into the East China Sea on December 22.
The joint operation between the navy and armed coastguard vessels was the first in the 250km strait that separates Okinawa island and Miyako and an archipelago of smaller islands that ends with Yonaguni, a little over 100km to the east of Taiwan.
A Japanese government analyst said the ships’ movements were “an unusual move that suggests a maritime blockade”.
The exercises also coincided with the continued presence of Chinese coastguard ships in waters surrounding islands in the East China Sea that Beijing claims and refers to as the Diaoyu archipelago. The uninhabited territories are part of Okinawa prefecture and are administered by Japan, which knows them as the Senkakus.
Stephen Nagy, a professor of politics and international relations at Tokyo’s International Christian University, suggested the move could be “part of China’s broader strategy to take Taiwan without a fight”.
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US Army veteran suspected of deadly New Orleans truck attack was ‘born and raised’ in Texas
By Reuters
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the 42-year-old Texas man accused of crashing a truck into New Year’s Day revellers in New Orleans, killing 15 and injuring dozens of people, served in the US Army for 13 years including a deployment to Afghanistan, the Army said.
Federal officials and local law enforcement in New Orleans said that Jabbar did not act alone and that they are looking for accomplices.
The FBI said Jabbar had an Islamic State flag on his truck and view the attack as a potential act of terrorism. The Islamic State, or Isis, is a Sunni Muslim militant group that has carried out attacks throughout the world.
While the investigation is ongoing, so far no information has surfaced to explain why Jabbar, a US citizen raised in Texas, would carry out the New Orleans attack. Jabbar died at the scene in a shoot-out with police, officials said.
Jabbar served in the US Army as a human resource specialist and information technology specialist from 2007 until 2015. He then joined the Army Reserve as an IT Specialist until 2020, holding the rank of staff sergeant at the end of service, according to an Army official.
Jabbar deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, the official said.
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By Reuters
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the 42-year-old Texas man accused of crashing a truck into New Year’s Day revellers in New Orleans, killing 15 and injuring dozens of people, served in the US Army for 13 years including a deployment to Afghanistan, the Army said.
Federal officials and local law enforcement in New Orleans said that Jabbar did not act alone and that they are looking for accomplices.
The FBI said Jabbar had an Islamic State flag on his truck and view the attack as a potential act of terrorism. The Islamic State, or Isis, is a Sunni Muslim militant group that has carried out attacks throughout the world.
While the investigation is ongoing, so far no information has surfaced to explain why Jabbar, a US citizen raised in Texas, would carry out the New Orleans attack. Jabbar died at the scene in a shoot-out with police, officials said.
Jabbar served in the US Army as a human resource specialist and information technology specialist from 2007 until 2015. He then joined the Army Reserve as an IT Specialist until 2020, holding the rank of staff sergeant at the end of service, according to an Army official.
Jabbar deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, the official said.
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Why mainland China’s Taiwan integration experiment in Fujian is starting to fizzle
By Amber Wang
Fujian province has become a test bed for mainland China’s push for economic, social and political integration with Taiwan. In this story – the first in a four-part on-the-ground series – Amber Wang details the 15-year integration drive in Fujian’s Pingtan county, which appears to be losing steam as the mainland economy falters, military tensions grow and Beijing struggles to turn cross-strait business ties into political loyalty.
For Allen Xue, a Taiwanese woman, the allure of moving just across the Taiwan Strait to the coastal county of Pingtan on the mainland was hard to resist.
Earlier this year, she settled into a compound specifically tailored for Taiwanese and bought it at a price far below market value.
Many decades ago, Pingtan, located just 110km (68 miles) from Taiwan in Fujian province, was a collection of underdeveloped fishing towns that served as a base for mainland Chinese attempting to illegally enter Taiwan.
Much has changed since then. Around 15 years ago, the county became a test site for economic, social and political integration with Taiwan. Business and infrastructure boomed as Beijing invested billions into building links across the strait.
However, the integration drive seems to be losing steam after its initial progress as the mainland’s economy stumbles and cross-strait tensions grow, according to Taiwanese residents of Fujian and Beijing policy advisers interviewed by the South China Morning Post.
While some Taiwanese businesses have taken advantage of the scheme, the plan has not succeeded in fostering deep cross-strait economic ties or political loyalty towards Beijing.
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By Amber Wang
Fujian province has become a test bed for mainland China’s push for economic, social and political integration with Taiwan. In this story – the first in a four-part on-the-ground series – Amber Wang details the 15-year integration drive in Fujian’s Pingtan county, which appears to be losing steam as the mainland economy falters, military tensions grow and Beijing struggles to turn cross-strait business ties into political loyalty.
For Allen Xue, a Taiwanese woman, the allure of moving just across the Taiwan Strait to the coastal county of Pingtan on the mainland was hard to resist.
Earlier this year, she settled into a compound specifically tailored for Taiwanese and bought it at a price far below market value.
Many decades ago, Pingtan, located just 110km (68 miles) from Taiwan in Fujian province, was a collection of underdeveloped fishing towns that served as a base for mainland Chinese attempting to illegally enter Taiwan.
Much has changed since then. Around 15 years ago, the county became a test site for economic, social and political integration with Taiwan. Business and infrastructure boomed as Beijing invested billions into building links across the strait.
However, the integration drive seems to be losing steam after its initial progress as the mainland’s economy stumbles and cross-strait tensions grow, according to Taiwanese residents of Fujian and Beijing policy advisers interviewed by the South China Morning Post.
While some Taiwanese businesses have taken advantage of the scheme, the plan has not succeeded in fostering deep cross-strait economic ties or political loyalty towards Beijing.
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Dialogue can help China, India sidestep disputes over mega dam
By Genevieve Donnellon-May
On Christmas Day, China formally approved a controversial 60-gigawatt “super dam” project in the Tibet autonomous region, on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the upper section of the transboundary Brahmaputra.
The ambitious hydropower project, first announced in November 2020, is expected to surpass 1 trillion yuan (US$137 billion) in investment. Included in China’s 14th five-year plan (2021-2025), the dam is part of plans for China to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and could generate three times more energy than the Three Gorges Dam.
Although the start date and exact location remain unclear, media reports from late 2020 suggested the dam could be built near the “Great Bend” close to the China-India border. This has sparked considerable alarm in downstream India. While the Chinese foreign ministry has pledged to maintain dialogue with downstream nations and step up cooperation on disaster prevention, amid Sino-Indian tensions, New Delhi remains wary about the mega dam’s impact on the Brahmaputra’s flow.
The Yarlung Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is one of the world’s largest transnational rivers and vital to the livelihoods of millions across China, India, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Originating in southwest China’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, it flows through southern Tibet, crossing the Himalayas into India (where it is called the Brahmaputra), before entering Bangladesh.
The official go-ahead for the mega dam adds to India’s concerns over China’s large-scale engineering projects on shared rivers like the Brahmaputra, and underscores the complexities of Sino-Indian river governance.
The Brahmaputra is central to the socioeconomic development of both countries. For India, the river contributes nearly 30 per cent of the country’s freshwater resources and 40 per cent of its hydropower potential. The river plays a smaller role in China’s freshwater supply but is vital to Tibet’s agricultural and energy sectors.
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By Genevieve Donnellon-May
On Christmas Day, China formally approved a controversial 60-gigawatt “super dam” project in the Tibet autonomous region, on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, the upper section of the transboundary Brahmaputra.
The ambitious hydropower project, first announced in November 2020, is expected to surpass 1 trillion yuan (US$137 billion) in investment. Included in China’s 14th five-year plan (2021-2025), the dam is part of plans for China to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and could generate three times more energy than the Three Gorges Dam.
Although the start date and exact location remain unclear, media reports from late 2020 suggested the dam could be built near the “Great Bend” close to the China-India border. This has sparked considerable alarm in downstream India. While the Chinese foreign ministry has pledged to maintain dialogue with downstream nations and step up cooperation on disaster prevention, amid Sino-Indian tensions, New Delhi remains wary about the mega dam’s impact on the Brahmaputra’s flow.
The Yarlung Tsangpo-Brahmaputra is one of the world’s largest transnational rivers and vital to the livelihoods of millions across China, India, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Originating in southwest China’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, it flows through southern Tibet, crossing the Himalayas into India (where it is called the Brahmaputra), before entering Bangladesh.
The official go-ahead for the mega dam adds to India’s concerns over China’s large-scale engineering projects on shared rivers like the Brahmaputra, and underscores the complexities of Sino-Indian river governance.
The Brahmaputra is central to the socioeconomic development of both countries. For India, the river contributes nearly 30 per cent of the country’s freshwater resources and 40 per cent of its hydropower potential. The river plays a smaller role in China’s freshwater supply but is vital to Tibet’s agricultural and energy sectors.
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Vehicle catches fire and explodes outside Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas
By Associated Press
A vehicle caught fire and exploded on Wednesday outside the lobby of US president-elect Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas, authorities said.
Las Vegas police said they are investigating the fire and explosion, but neither they nor the Clark County Fire Department immediately provided more details. A county spokeswoman said in a statement that the fire was in the hotel’s valet area and was reported at 8.40am.
Eric Trump, a son of the president-elect and executive vice-president of the Trump Organization, posted about the fire on social media. He praised the fire department and local law enforcement “for their swift response and professionalism”.
The 64-story hotel is just off the famed Las Vegas Strip and across the street from the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping centre.
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By Associated Press
A vehicle caught fire and exploded on Wednesday outside the lobby of US president-elect Donald Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas, authorities said.
Las Vegas police said they are investigating the fire and explosion, but neither they nor the Clark County Fire Department immediately provided more details. A county spokeswoman said in a statement that the fire was in the hotel’s valet area and was reported at 8.40am.
Eric Trump, a son of the president-elect and executive vice-president of the Trump Organization, posted about the fire on social media. He praised the fire department and local law enforcement “for their swift response and professionalism”.
The 64-story hotel is just off the famed Las Vegas Strip and across the street from the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping centre.
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US man had 150 home-made bombs, allegedly used Joe Biden’s photos for target practice
By Associated Press
Federal agents found one of the largest stockpiles of home-made explosives they have ever seized when they arrested a Virginia man on a firearms charge last month, according to a court filing by federal prosecutors.
Investigators seized more than 150 pipe bombs and other home-made devices when they searched the home of Brad Spafford northwest of Norfolk in December, the prosecutors said in a motion filed Monday. The prosecutors wrote that this is believed to be “the largest seizure by number of finished explosive devices in FBI history”.
Most of the bombs were found in a detached garage at the home in Isle of Wight County, along with tools and bomb-making materials including fuses and pieces of plastic pipe, according to court documents.
The prosecutors also wrote: “Several additional apparent pipe bombs were found in a backpack in the home’s bedroom, completely unsecured” in the home he shares with his wife and two young children.
Spafford, 36, was charged with possession of a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act. Law enforcement officers allege he owned an unregistered short barrel rifle. Prosecutors said that he faces “numerous additional potential charges” related to the explosives.
Defence lawyers argued in a motion on Tuesday that authorities have not produced evidence that he was planning violence, also noting that he has no criminal record. Further, they question whether the explosive devices were usable because “professionally trained explosive technicians had to rig the devices to explode them”.
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By Associated Press
Federal agents found one of the largest stockpiles of home-made explosives they have ever seized when they arrested a Virginia man on a firearms charge last month, according to a court filing by federal prosecutors.
Investigators seized more than 150 pipe bombs and other home-made devices when they searched the home of Brad Spafford northwest of Norfolk in December, the prosecutors said in a motion filed Monday. The prosecutors wrote that this is believed to be “the largest seizure by number of finished explosive devices in FBI history”.
Most of the bombs were found in a detached garage at the home in Isle of Wight County, along with tools and bomb-making materials including fuses and pieces of plastic pipe, according to court documents.
The prosecutors also wrote: “Several additional apparent pipe bombs were found in a backpack in the home’s bedroom, completely unsecured” in the home he shares with his wife and two young children.
Spafford, 36, was charged with possession of a firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act. Law enforcement officers allege he owned an unregistered short barrel rifle. Prosecutors said that he faces “numerous additional potential charges” related to the explosives.
Defence lawyers argued in a motion on Tuesday that authorities have not produced evidence that he was planning violence, also noting that he has no criminal record. Further, they question whether the explosive devices were usable because “professionally trained explosive technicians had to rig the devices to explode them”.
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3 arrested at Hong Kong airport over drugs worth HK$9 million
By Lo Hoi-ying
Hong Kong customs officers have arrested three travellers, including a man from Malaysia, for allegedly smuggling drugs in separate cases involving more than HK$9 million (US$1.16 million) at the airport.
The Customs and Excise Department said on Wednesday officers seized about 4.5kg of suspected liquid cocaine and about 12kg of suspected ketamine from the three passengers at the Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday. The suspected drugs had a combined market value of HK$9.4 million.
Officers arrested a 32-year-old man from Malaysia during customs clearance after finding 2kg of suspected ketamine in tea leaf packaging in his carry-on suitcase.
In the second case, about 4.5kg of suspected liquid cocaine was found in the checked-in suitcase of a 26-year-old man who arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The suspected drugs were concealed in two wine bottles and three personal care products.
In the third case, a 46-year-old male passenger arriving from Paris, France, was found with about 10kg of suspected ketamine hidden in protein powder packaging inside his checked-in suitcase.
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By Lo Hoi-ying
Hong Kong customs officers have arrested three travellers, including a man from Malaysia, for allegedly smuggling drugs in separate cases involving more than HK$9 million (US$1.16 million) at the airport.
The Customs and Excise Department said on Wednesday officers seized about 4.5kg of suspected liquid cocaine and about 12kg of suspected ketamine from the three passengers at the Hong Kong International Airport on Tuesday. The suspected drugs had a combined market value of HK$9.4 million.
Officers arrested a 32-year-old man from Malaysia during customs clearance after finding 2kg of suspected ketamine in tea leaf packaging in his carry-on suitcase.
In the second case, about 4.5kg of suspected liquid cocaine was found in the checked-in suitcase of a 26-year-old man who arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The suspected drugs were concealed in two wine bottles and three personal care products.
In the third case, a 46-year-old male passenger arriving from Paris, France, was found with about 10kg of suspected ketamine hidden in protein powder packaging inside his checked-in suitcase.
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Why Trump 2.0 could push China-US relations into ‘high-risk’ territory
By Shi Jiangtao
Washington’s duplicity in its China policy and the looming chaos in American politics could push Sino-American ties into high-risk territory during Donald Trump’s second stint in the White House, a Chinese foreign policy expert has warned.
Although US-China ties are entering a high-risk period, Beijing will remain hopeful about “win-win cooperation” and peaceful coexistence, according to Shen Yamei, director of the Institute of American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, a government-linked think tank in Beijing.
In a commentary last week, Shen spoke highly of the US-China detente following an eventful year, especially amid concerns among China watchers that Washington might cause China-US relations to deteriorate during the election year.
“However, the contradiction between China and the United States is structural, while the stability currently restored to the relationship is not,” she wrote in the biweekly journal World Affairs, which is published by a press controlled by the Chinese foreign ministry.
“As the US locks in its strategy of great power competition, China-US ties still face enormous challenges.”
She credited outgoing US President Joe Biden’s administration for adjusting its tactics from “intense competition” to “managing competition”, which helped stabilise ties by reopening “more than 20 communication mechanisms”.
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By Shi Jiangtao
Washington’s duplicity in its China policy and the looming chaos in American politics could push Sino-American ties into high-risk territory during Donald Trump’s second stint in the White House, a Chinese foreign policy expert has warned.
Although US-China ties are entering a high-risk period, Beijing will remain hopeful about “win-win cooperation” and peaceful coexistence, according to Shen Yamei, director of the Institute of American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, a government-linked think tank in Beijing.
In a commentary last week, Shen spoke highly of the US-China detente following an eventful year, especially amid concerns among China watchers that Washington might cause China-US relations to deteriorate during the election year.
“However, the contradiction between China and the United States is structural, while the stability currently restored to the relationship is not,” she wrote in the biweekly journal World Affairs, which is published by a press controlled by the Chinese foreign ministry.
“As the US locks in its strategy of great power competition, China-US ties still face enormous challenges.”
She credited outgoing US President Joe Biden’s administration for adjusting its tactics from “intense competition” to “managing competition”, which helped stabilise ties by reopening “more than 20 communication mechanisms”.
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Indian Americans slam ‘racist’ comments by Trump supporters over visa scheme
By Biman Mukherji
Indian Americans have slammed racist comments by some supporters of US-president elect Donald Trump against his handpicked artificial intelligence adviser Sriram Krishnan following Krishnan’s call to amend the country’s immigration policy.
Krishnan wrote in a post on X: “Anything to remove country caps for green cards / unlock skilled immigration would be huge ... we need the best, regardless of where they happen to be born.”
Far-right critics, particularly those aligned with Make America Great Again (MAGA) ideologies, have criticised Krishnan for his call and decried his appointment.
A user with the epithet Mrs Doubtfire posted on the X platform: “All of my dear Indian friends are calling Americans expressing dissent on open border #H1B policy ‘racist.’ Literally no one said a word about Sriram openly saying he, an ethnic-Indian, wants to give Indian nationals unlimited access to the US.”
Many Trump supporters have been pushing for the removal of the H-1B visa programme as debates intensify in the US over job concerns and the presence of foreign professionals working in the country, including those of Indian origin.
A video of far-right commentator Stew Peters and comedian Leonardo Jonie Peters spewing hate against Indian Americans has sparked outrage among the global Indian community and made headlines in Indian media.
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By Biman Mukherji
Indian Americans have slammed racist comments by some supporters of US-president elect Donald Trump against his handpicked artificial intelligence adviser Sriram Krishnan following Krishnan’s call to amend the country’s immigration policy.
Krishnan wrote in a post on X: “Anything to remove country caps for green cards / unlock skilled immigration would be huge ... we need the best, regardless of where they happen to be born.”
Far-right critics, particularly those aligned with Make America Great Again (MAGA) ideologies, have criticised Krishnan for his call and decried his appointment.
A user with the epithet Mrs Doubtfire posted on the X platform: “All of my dear Indian friends are calling Americans expressing dissent on open border #H1B policy ‘racist.’ Literally no one said a word about Sriram openly saying he, an ethnic-Indian, wants to give Indian nationals unlimited access to the US.”
Many Trump supporters have been pushing for the removal of the H-1B visa programme as debates intensify in the US over job concerns and the presence of foreign professionals working in the country, including those of Indian origin.
A video of far-right commentator Stew Peters and comedian Leonardo Jonie Peters spewing hate against Indian Americans has sparked outrage among the global Indian community and made headlines in Indian media.
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How Hong Kong-US ties will shift under the Trump administration in 2025
By Willa WuConnor Mycroft
Financial services in Hong Kong could face increased scrutiny by the US in 2025 under Donald Trump’s leadership, while human rights will be “far less of a concern” for his administration, according to political and international relations experts.
But they expected that drastic measures, including unpegging the Hong Kong dollar from the US dollar and removing the city from the current financial messaging system, were “speculative” and would “encounter significant resistance”.
As 2025 begins, US sanctions on Hong Kong officials, including Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, appear set to stay in place.
The United States will also start prohibiting outbound investment in Chinese semiconductor, quantum technology and artificial intelligence industries, including in Hong Kong, that threaten American national security.
All eyes are on whether Trump, who will be sworn in as president for his second term on January 20, will intensify pressure on mainland China and Hong Kong, particularly with a cabinet that comprises at least three China hawks.
The 78-year-old Republican has earlier promised to slap 60 per cent tariffs on “Made in China” goods, and ensure the release from jail of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, charged with foreign collusion and sedition.
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By Willa WuConnor Mycroft
Financial services in Hong Kong could face increased scrutiny by the US in 2025 under Donald Trump’s leadership, while human rights will be “far less of a concern” for his administration, according to political and international relations experts.
But they expected that drastic measures, including unpegging the Hong Kong dollar from the US dollar and removing the city from the current financial messaging system, were “speculative” and would “encounter significant resistance”.
As 2025 begins, US sanctions on Hong Kong officials, including Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, appear set to stay in place.
The United States will also start prohibiting outbound investment in Chinese semiconductor, quantum technology and artificial intelligence industries, including in Hong Kong, that threaten American national security.
All eyes are on whether Trump, who will be sworn in as president for his second term on January 20, will intensify pressure on mainland China and Hong Kong, particularly with a cabinet that comprises at least three China hawks.
The 78-year-old Republican has earlier promised to slap 60 per cent tariffs on “Made in China” goods, and ensure the release from jail of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, charged with foreign collusion and sedition.
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US sanctions on Pakistan will only push it closer to China
By Abdul Moiz KhanSyeda Saba Batool
On December 18, the United States imposed sanctions on Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme under executive order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. Sanctions were imposed on four Pakistani entities, including the state-owned National Development Complex. This round of sanctions is the fourth of its kind in 14 months.
In October 2023, the US sanctioned three Chinese entities for allegedly supplying Pakistan with materials that could be used in its missile programme. Similarly, in April last year, the US sanctioned three Chinese companies and a Belarusian firm, and in September, it sanctioned four Chinese firms and a Chinese individual for working with Pakistan on its missile programme.
The latest round of sanctions, however, stands out as it is the first time in recent history that the US has openly sanctioned a state-owned company.
US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer, speaking at an event organised by the Arms Control Association and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, spelled out the rationale for the sanctions, alleging that Pakistan is developing large rocket motors that could eventually provide it with the ability to strike targets well beyond South Asia, including in the United States.
Pakistan’s foreign office, in response, termed the sanctions unfortunate and biased. In a statement, it said: “Pakistan has also made it abundantly clear that our strategic programme and allied capabilities are solely meant to deter and thwart a clear and visible existential threat from our neighbourhood and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country. Hence, any irrational assumption of a hostile intent from Pakistan by any other country including the US is perplexing as well as illogical.”
Currently, Pakistan’s medium-range ballistic missile, the Shaheen-III, is the longest-range missile in its arsenal. It can travel 2,750km and has a motor with a diameter of 1.4m. For Pakistan to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the US, the range would need to be about 12,000km.
The United States sanctioning Pakistani companies on the basis of unproven assumptions will strain relations between the two countries. Pakistan has, on multiple occasions, reiterated its stance that its nuclear capabilities are only to deter India.
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By Abdul Moiz KhanSyeda Saba Batool
On December 18, the United States imposed sanctions on Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme under executive order 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. Sanctions were imposed on four Pakistani entities, including the state-owned National Development Complex. This round of sanctions is the fourth of its kind in 14 months.
In October 2023, the US sanctioned three Chinese entities for allegedly supplying Pakistan with materials that could be used in its missile programme. Similarly, in April last year, the US sanctioned three Chinese companies and a Belarusian firm, and in September, it sanctioned four Chinese firms and a Chinese individual for working with Pakistan on its missile programme.
The latest round of sanctions, however, stands out as it is the first time in recent history that the US has openly sanctioned a state-owned company.
US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer, speaking at an event organised by the Arms Control Association and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, spelled out the rationale for the sanctions, alleging that Pakistan is developing large rocket motors that could eventually provide it with the ability to strike targets well beyond South Asia, including in the United States.
Pakistan’s foreign office, in response, termed the sanctions unfortunate and biased. In a statement, it said: “Pakistan has also made it abundantly clear that our strategic programme and allied capabilities are solely meant to deter and thwart a clear and visible existential threat from our neighbourhood and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country. Hence, any irrational assumption of a hostile intent from Pakistan by any other country including the US is perplexing as well as illogical.”
Currently, Pakistan’s medium-range ballistic missile, the Shaheen-III, is the longest-range missile in its arsenal. It can travel 2,750km and has a motor with a diameter of 1.4m. For Pakistan to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the US, the range would need to be about 12,000km.
The United States sanctioning Pakistani companies on the basis of unproven assumptions will strain relations between the two countries. Pakistan has, on multiple occasions, reiterated its stance that its nuclear capabilities are only to deter India.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
China’s fusion of fireworks and drones reignites world’s oldest firework industry
By Daisy Wu
The swarm of drones soared upward carrying a bright and beautiful surprise in the small Chinese city of Liuyang. In unison, several fired off a spectacular volley of fireworks, illuminating the night sky like a meteor shower while eliciting oohs and ahs from onlookers.
The performance last month quickly went viral on social media, and many viewers commented that China’s firework displays have reached a new level of impressiveness with the help of drones.
Since 2013, growing concerns over safety and air quality have led to strict firework bans in several parts of China, putting immense pressure on the industry.
Official data shows that 16 provinces and cities across the country had completely halted firework production by 2015, resulting in more than 4,000 firework companies closing down.
Located in the central province of Hunan, Liuyang, the world’s largest producer and trading hub for fireworks, also faced a long period of economic decline until a boost from drone technology helped revive industrial production.
Liuyang’s firework sales in the first nine months of 2022 totaled 8.9 billion yuan (US$1.22 billion), marking an 11.46 per cent decrease from the same period seven years prior, according to the local industrial development centre. ST Panda, China’s only A-share listed company focused solely on fireworks, saw its revenue fall sharply to 162 million yuan in 2013, for a year-on-year decline of 36.37 per cent.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Daisy Wu
The swarm of drones soared upward carrying a bright and beautiful surprise in the small Chinese city of Liuyang. In unison, several fired off a spectacular volley of fireworks, illuminating the night sky like a meteor shower while eliciting oohs and ahs from onlookers.
The performance last month quickly went viral on social media, and many viewers commented that China’s firework displays have reached a new level of impressiveness with the help of drones.
Since 2013, growing concerns over safety and air quality have led to strict firework bans in several parts of China, putting immense pressure on the industry.
Official data shows that 16 provinces and cities across the country had completely halted firework production by 2015, resulting in more than 4,000 firework companies closing down.
Located in the central province of Hunan, Liuyang, the world’s largest producer and trading hub for fireworks, also faced a long period of economic decline until a boost from drone technology helped revive industrial production.
Liuyang’s firework sales in the first nine months of 2022 totaled 8.9 billion yuan (US$1.22 billion), marking an 11.46 per cent decrease from the same period seven years prior, according to the local industrial development centre. ST Panda, China’s only A-share listed company focused solely on fireworks, saw its revenue fall sharply to 162 million yuan in 2013, for a year-on-year decline of 36.37 per cent.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
10 dead, 30 injured after car ploughs into a crowd in New Orleans
By Associated PressReuters
Ten people were killed and 30 injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans’ Canal and Bourbon Street on Wednesday, according to NOLA Ready, the city’s emergency preparedness agency.
New Orleans police earlier said they were responding to a mass casualty incident, including fatalities. NOLA Ready advised people to stay away from the area.
More to follow …
via SCMP Full Text Feed
By Associated PressReuters
Ten people were killed and 30 injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans’ Canal and Bourbon Street on Wednesday, according to NOLA Ready, the city’s emergency preparedness agency.
New Orleans police earlier said they were responding to a mass casualty incident, including fatalities. NOLA Ready advised people to stay away from the area.
More to follow …
via SCMP Full Text Feed
